Stemware rack

ABSTRACT

A rack for stemware pieces comprises a container having a top, a bottom, two sides and two ends, wherein the top, bottom, two sides and two ends define an interior space for holding the feet of a plurality of stemware pieces resting on the bottom of the container, wherein the bottom comprises a gap that permits a user to remove a stemware piece held in the container by grasping the stemware piece and pulling or pushing the stemware piece along the bottom to at least one of the ends where the stemware piece can then be removed from the container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a stemware rack, for example, for glassand crystal stemware.

2. Description of Related Art

There are a large number of stemware racks for glass and crystalstemware that are well known in the art. Many have complicatedstructures, which are difficult to install, maintain and clean. Therecontinues to be a need in the art to provide new and simpler structuresfor hanging and storing stemware.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

These and other objects are met by the present invention, which relatesin a first embodiment to a rack for stemware pieces comprising acontainer having a top, a bottom, two sides and two ends, the top,bottom, two sides and two ends defining an interior space for holdingthe feet of a plurality of stemware pieces resting on the bottom of thecontainer, wherein the bottom comprises a gap permitting a user toremove a stemware piece held in the container by grasping the stemwarepiece and pulling or pushing the stemware piece along the bottom to atleast one of the ends where it can then be removed from the container.

The present invention relates in a second embodiment to a cabinetcomprising the stemware rack according to the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference tothe drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective of one embodiment of the stemware rack accordingto the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section at one end of the stemware rack of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section at a point between the two ends of thestemware rack of FIG. 1 showing a stemware piece contained in theinterior space; and

FIG. 4 is a depiction of the stemware rack of FIG. 1 mounted beneath acabinet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, in a preferred embodiment, the inventive stemwarerack 10 comprises container 11, which generally has the shape of anelongated rectangular box. As can be seen from FIG. 3, the containerdefines an interior space for holding the feet of a plurality ofstemware pieces 31 resting on the bottom of the container. The feet ofthese stemware pieces can be placed inside the container and pushedfurther in or removed therefrom by grasping the stems of the stemwarepieces through gap 12 and moving the stemware pieces along the bottomeither into or out of the interior space.

In a preferred embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 1, the gap occupies acentral portion of the bottom. In an especially preferred embodiment,the gap runs the entire length of the bottom. However, it is alsopossible for the gap to be positioned more to one side than the otherand/or for the gap to run less than the entire length of the bottom. Thegap is usually straight, but this is not required, and the gap can haveother shapes, for example, serpentine.

As shown in FIG. 1, the stemware rack in this particular embodiment hasa cross-section that is rectangular. In an especially preferredembodiment, the dimensions of the rectangular cross-section, in terms ofthe width of the top and bottom, approximate that of the feet of thestemware pieces to be held inside. Obviously, these dimensions should beslightly greater than the corresponding dimensions of the feet of thestemware pieces themselves to allow the feet of the stemware pieces tofit comfortably into the interior space.

Keeping these principles in mind, it is possible for the stemware rackto have a cross-section that is other than rectangular. For example, thetop and sides could be curved, for example, egg-shaped, or any othershape, so long as, again, the top and sides combine with the bottom todefine an interior space that is adapted to removably retain the feet ofa plurality of stemware pieces therein.

The stemware rack needs to be open on a least one end to permit the feetof the stemware pieces to be inserted into or removed from the interiorspace. In one preferred embodiment, the stemware rack has openings onboth ends. In another preferred embodiment, the stemware rack is closedon one end.

In FIG. 1, the bottom portion on either side of gap 12 is flat over mostof its length. However, as shown in FIG. 2, a portion 21 of the bottomat one of the ends is angled. This angling provides an obstruction thathelps to prevent the stemware pieces from falling out of the interiorspace accidentally. In a preferred embodiment, the bottom over at leasta part of its length is angled at an angle greater than 0° and less than90°. In an especially preferred embodiment, the bottom over its entirelength is angled at an angle greater than 0° and less than 90°. In thisespecially preferred embodiment, the portion of the bottom at one of theends may be angled more sharply than the remainder of the bottom. Inanother especially preferred embodiment, the bottom only at an open endis angled at an angle greater than 0° and less than 90°. In thisespecially preferred embodiment, the remainder of the bottom may beflat, for example, as shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 4, the stemware rack 10 can, for example, be mountedbeneath a cabinet 41 or other substrate, for example, the shelf of acabinent, and the feet of stemware pieces 31 held therein. In anespecially preferred embodiment, for this purpose the top comprisesmeans for attaching the stemware rack to such a substrate. As shown inFIG. 1, such means may comprise holes 13 for accepting nails or screwsor bolts or like fastening means. The stemware rack may also be glued orfastened by means of hook-and-loop (VELCRO®) fasteners. It is alsopossible for the cabinet to be constructed with the stemware rack as anintegral part.

The stemware rack can be made of any suitable material, for example,wood, metal or plastic. In an especially preferred embodiment, thestemware rack is composed of molded plastic, particularly PLEXIGLAS®,LUCITE® or LEXAN®.

In the most preferred embodiment, the stemware rack is a single-sheet,one-piece molded article, especially of molded plastic, particularlyPLEXIGLAS®, LUCITE® or LEXAN®, which consists of a top, a bottom, twosides and two ends, substantially as shown in FIG. 1, wherein the bottomis flat except for a portion at at least one of the ends, wherein thatportion of the bottom is angled at an angle greater than 0°, and asingle gap traverses the entire length of the center of the bottom. Whenthis embodiment is employed, it can be mounted beneath a cabinet or ashelf thereof as a stand-alone unit or else multiple units may bemounted side-by-side to increase the stemware piece storage capacity.

While the present invention has been described in conjunction with thespecific embodiments set forth above, many alternatives, modificationsand other variations thereof will be apparent to those of ordinary skillin the art. All such alternatives, modifications and variations areintended to fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

1. A rack for stemware pieces comprising a container having a top, abottom, two sides and two ends, said top, bottom, two sides and two endsdefining an interior space for holding the feet of a plurality ofstemware pieces resting on said bottom, wherein the bottom comprises agap permitting a user to remove a stemware piece held in said containerby grasping said stemware piece and pulling or pushing said stemwarepiece along said bottom to at least one of said ends.
 2. The stemwarerack according to claim 1, wherein the gap occupies a central portion ofsaid bottom.
 3. The stemware rack according to claim 1, wherein the gapruns the entire length of said bottom.
 4. The stemware rack according toclaim 1, wherein the gap runs less than the entire length of saidbottom.
 5. The stemware rack according to claim 1, which has across-section that is rectangular.
 6. The stemware rack according toclaim 1, which has a cross-section that is other than rectangular. 7.The stemware rack according to claim 1, which has openings on both ends.8. The stemware rack according to claim 1, which is closed on one end.9. The stemware rack according to claim 1, wherein the bottom over atleast a part of its length is angled at an angle greater than 0° andless than 90°.
 10. The stemware rack according to claim 9, wherein thebottom over its entire length is angled at an angle greater than 0° andless than 90°.
 11. The stemware rack according to claim 10, wherein thebottom only at an open end is angled at an angle greater than 0° andless than 90°.
 12. The stemware rack according to claim 1, wherein thetop comprises means for attaching the stemware rack to a substrate. 13.The stemware rack according to claim 12, wherein said means compriseholes for accepting nails or screws or bolts.
 14. The stemware rackaccording to claim 1, which is composed of molded plastic.
 15. A cabinetcomprising a stemware rack according to claim 1.